Life-preserver.



.of one of the air receptacles.

HERBERT W. FRASER, OF PORT CLINTON, OHIO.

LIFE-PRESERVER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented April 7, 1908.

Application filed July 30, 1907. Serial No. 386,268.

To all whom it may concern: j

Be it known that I, HERBERT W. FRASER, a citizen of the United States, and resident of 1 Port Clinton, in the county of Ottawa and l State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Life-Preservers, of j which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to life preservers.

It often happens that the life preservers, as heretofore constructed, when required for use have been found to have lost their buoyancy to such an extent as to be absolutely worthless, in fact, in some instances, worse l than worthless; as they not only did not offer any support to the wearer but retarded his efforts to swim, this particularly being true in respect to some granulated cork life preservers, which when their canvas cover 1 ings become old and rotten would fall apart, and it also often happens in case of fire that the life preservers, particularly those of the nature just mention ed, are burned thus leaving the people entirely without means, other than their own efforts, of saving themselves.

It is therefore theobject of my invention to provide a life preserver of sim le, light durable fire-proof construction whidh will retain its buoyancy no matter how old it may be and which can be easily and readily adjusted to a person of any size.

It is a further object of my invention to make the buoyant air receptacles seamless so as to render them strong and absolutely air and water tight and to provide the entire device against mildewing, rusting or rotting.

In the drawings:Figure 1 is a rear view of the life reserver, shown spread out. Fig. 2 a vertical sectional view of one of the air receptacles, before together. Fig. 3 a

the sections are welded horizontal sectional view Fig. 4 a fragmentary sectional view of one of the air receptacles after the sections are welded together.

Like reference characters designate corres onding parts in the figures of the drawings i ustrating my invention.

Referring to the drawings, 1 designates the air receptacles, which are constructed of metal, preferably aluminium, and of flat oblong shape so as to be tight and strong and to fit closely to the body of the wearer.

Each receptacle 1 is preferably made of two flat cup sha ed metal sections 2 and 3, their open ends being brought together over a strong metal ring 4 and welded together so as to render it seamless, and on each side a rounded projection or bulge 5, is provided adjacent each end of the receptacle around which curved bands 6, of metal, are secured by means of rivets 7, the engagement of the curved bands with the rounded projections serving to hold said bands in place against longitudinal movement on the receptacle and the ring 4 serving to brace the receptacle at its center and insure it against collapsing.

' The ends of the bands 6, intermediate the receptacles, are provided with eyes 8 engaged by flat links 9, thereby securing them together to form a belt, the outer eyes of the straps on one end receptacle of the belt being engaged by the loops of snap hooks 10 and the outer eyes of the straps on the other end receptacle being engaged by end links of chains 11. j The length of the belt is such that when placed around a small waist the snap hooks 10 can be engaged with links of the chains 11 adjacent their inner ends and when placed around the waist of a large person, can be engaged with the links of the chains 11 adjacent their outer ends, thus adapting the belt to be secured to any sized person.

As an additional support for the belt, shoulder straps 12 are provided, these straps being in the form of chains having flat links, their lower ends being connected to the belt, about midway its length, by a chain 13 having flat links, the upper link engaging the links on the lower end of straps 12 and the lower link engaging a link between two of the receptacles.

Loops 14 of snap hooks 15 engage links at each end of the belt and said hooks serve as means for the engagement of the lower links of the straps 12.

The ends of the cup-shaped sections, at their mouths, are flared outwardly so that when brought together they form a bulge or projection 16 similar to the projections 5, these projections serving also to strengthen the air receptacles.

Having now described my invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. In a life preserver, a plurality of metal air receptacles formed of welded sections,

rings bracing the receptacles at the junctions of their sections, means connecting said receptacles together to form a belt, means for connecting the ends of the belt together and means for suspending the belt from the shoulders of the wearer, substantially as described.

2. In a life preserver, a plurality of seamless metal air receptacles formed of welded sections, rings bracing the receptacles at the junctions of their sections, means connecting said receptacles together to form a belt, means for connecting the ends of the belt together and means for suspending the belt from the shoulders of the wearer, substantially as described.

3. In a life preserver, a plurality of air receptacles having surrounding projections, curved metal bands engaged by said proj ections means connecting said bands together to form a belt, means for connecting the ends of the belt together and means for suspending the belt from the shoulders of the wearer, substantially as described.

4. In a life preserver, a plurality of air seamless receptacles having surrounding projections, curved metal bands engaged by said projections means connecting said hands together to form a belt, means for connecting the ends of the belt together and ending the belt from the e wearer, substantially as means for sus shoulders of t described.

5. In a life preserver, a pluralityof metallic air receptacles having surrounding projec tions, curved metal bands engaged by said projections, eyes in the ends of said links, metal links engaging the adjacent eyes of said bands, and connecting them together to form a belt, metal chains connected to the eyes of the bands at one end of the belt, metal snap hooks connected to eyes of the bands at the other end of the belt, metal chains connected to an intermediate link of said belt and metal snap hooks connected to links adjacent the ends of said belt, substantially as described.

Signed at Port Clinton, in the county of Ottawa and State of Ohio this 29 day of May, A. D. 1907.

HERBERT W. FRASER.

Vvitnesses:

E. B. COURCHAINE, GEO. A. TRUE. 

